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Hell
Hell is a place described in the Holy Bible as "prepared for the devil and his angels" (see gospel of Matthew 25:41). When the cherub Lucifer rebelled against God and brought a third of the angels with him, God cast them out from Heaven and condemned them to spend eternity in that place of torment. Hell is also referred to as "eternal fire," "outer darkness" and "the abyss." It is unclear whether these various appellations are different parts of Hell or synonyms of the word Hell. The Bible teaches that Hell is also the place where unsaved human souls go after death and judgment as human beings have been seduced by Satan in Eden and belong to him until they are freed by Christ who died to redeem them (see Galatians 3:13). This salvation is obtained by believing in Christ's sacrifice and results in the redeemed going to Heaven after death. Demons are not confined to Hell as they are active on Earth, possessing human beings and getting involved in various occult practices, working at leading human beings away from God and salvation. An account of demonic possession found in the gospel of Luke chapter 8 suggests demons on Earth fear being sent back to Hell: "And Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?' And he said, 'Legion'; for many demons had entered him. They were imploring him not to command them to go away into the abyss." Visions of Hell have been reported by many patients who were declared clinically dead and have been revived to share their experience. These visions usually lead to a spiritual turnaround in their lives. Some Christians have also reported visions or dreams of Hell given to them so they would warn the living about it. Some of these witnesses have situated Hell in the center of the Earth. Some verses in the Bible could confirm this. Certain philosophers and theologians have suggested that Hell is on Earth, that what the Bible refers to as Hell is really the pains of this present life. The word Hell is commonly used to designate suffering in general. Other concepts of Hell In Greek mythology, Hell or "Hades" is the abode of the dead, but not necessarily a place of suffering. The word "Sheol" is the Old Testament equivalent, as the notion of Heaven and Hell did not exist in the same way for Old Testament Jews. "Jahannam" is the Islamic concept of Hell, a place with seven gates designed for seven specific groups of sinners and nineteen angels present to punish them. Sinners sent to Jahannam are judged solely on the basis of deeds, as opposed to the Chrisitan doctrines of grace and redemption accessible to even the worst sinner. Hell Within the X-Files tells Scully about his fear of the "Cold, dark place."]] The idea of Hell appears in the episode Beyond the Sea. As psychic convict Luther Lee Boggs shows an ability to call up the dead, Agent Scully hesitantly asks if he could bring her deceased father up. Boggs seizes the opportunity to bargain a life sentence instead of capital punishment because of his fear of death. He recalls a near death experience and how he saw his victims' souls looking at him, their last horror and fear injected into him like "one taste of Hell." He goes on to say he went to death's door and looked inside, describing it as a "cold, dark place." Hell is also mentioned in Die Hand Die Verletzt as a high school council involved in a satanic cult invokes Hell's demonic forces in Milford Haven, New Hampshire: "In the name of the lords of darkness, rulers of the earth, kings of the underworld. I command the forces of darkness to bestow their infernal power upon me. May the black power of our forefathers make us strong. Hail, hail to the lords of darkness." A group of teenagers also gathers in a forest to call up these forces using a spell found in the book "Witch Hunt: A History of the Occult in America" at the school library: "In the name of the lords of darkness, rulers of the earth, kings of the underworld. Rise, rise to this place. Azazel. Know ye all who live in the light of professed righteousness that the others who know the keys in the angels have opened the gate." A demon is called up from Hell, manifesting itself as Phyllis Paddock, a mysterious substitute teacher who proceeds to killing six residents of Milford Haven, including the high school council members and one of the teenagers in the forest, suggesting demons are deceitful and destroy even those who worship them. Two rueful cult members are also killed because they have revealed the cult's dark secrets. Category:Religion